Rubber
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Skis might have started as wooden planks, but they've evolved into high-tech feats of engineering. The latest take on downhill skis borrows from the world of high-performance tires, with Pirelli and Blossom Skis chasing a competitive edge with rubber.
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An automobile tire is composed of about 30 percent carbon black, which adds durability to the rubber. Carbon black is petroleum-based, however, meaning that it isn't entirely eco-friendly. That's why scientists have been experimenting with an alternative – namely egg shells and tomato skins.
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Although we may hear a lot about the promise of flexible electronics, there's at least one challenge that still has to be overcome – heat dissipation. It was with this in mind that scientists at Carnegie Mellon University created a highly thermally-conductive rubber, known as "thubber."
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Researchers at Durham University in the United Kingdom have developed an approach to breaking down rubber in materials at room temperature. The chemical process uses catalytic disassembly, eliminating the energy-intensive methods of currently-used tire recycling methods.
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When it comes to high-end bicycle tires, buyers generally have to choose between light, fast ones and grippier, more durable models. According to Italian tire manufacturer Vittoria, however, that's no longer the case – at least, not with the company's new Graphene Plus rubber.
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Scientists are having success with condoms made from a latex with added nanocellulose obtained from a native grass. Not only are they stronger than regular latex condoms, but they could be as thin as the diameter of a human hair.
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We generally picture lasers as being encased within hard housings, much like most other electronics. Thanks to new research, however, we could soon see sensors or other devices that incorporate stretchable laser-emitting rubber.
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Scientists at the University of Auckland in New Zealand have developed a streamlined, programmable keyboard using a soft, flexible and stretchable type of rubber known as a dielectric elastomer.
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At this time of year, people living in northern regions all over the world are faced with the same problem: icy sidewalks. That's why researchers from the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and the University of Toronto are developing rubber boot soles with bits of glass embedded in them.
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ScienceGraphene is a cutting-edge wonder material, whereas rubber bands ... well, they're not so high-tech. By combining the one with the other, however, scientists have created ultra-cheap body motion sensors that could make a big difference in the field of health care.
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Flexible materials offered by online 3D printing bureaus are opening the door to new types of objects.
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Project Piola is combining the ethos of fair trade and the French design flair to create shoes with organic rubber and cotton from Peru.
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